Lifeboat construction



March L 193.

) C. GALBRAETH LIFEBOAT CONSTRUCTION Filed. July 30, 1936 'INVENTOR My E N R 0 WW A r 4 r 0".

Patented Mar. 1, 1938 PATENT OFFIE 2,110,017 LIFEBOAT CONSTRUCTION Armour O. Galbraith, Sufiern, N. Y. 1 Application July 30, 1936, Serial No. 93,330

3 Claims.

The invention the subject of this application, consists of means for improving the construc- First, to increase the rigidity'of a lifeboat Second, to simplify its construction, and "Third, to directly strengthen the lifeboat against certain destructive stresses which have been found existent in ordinary lifeboats.

terially reduced in weight.

Another decided advantage in the construction which I am about fered for supporting the The following is what I consider the best means of carrying out my invention and the accompanying drawing should be referred to for a complete understanding of the specification which follows:-

In the drawing:

Figure 1 shows a longitudinal sectional view of a lifeboat.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fractured and sectional View of the keel member and flooring.

Figure 3 is a fractured view of the interior of the boat showing the plates secured to the keel.

Figure 4 is a fractured view of the exterior of the boat and is similar to the view in Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is an end elevation of the end of the keel member.

Similar reference numerals indicate like parts in all the figures where they appear.

The boat which I have shown is an ordinary lifeboat and in the drawing the lifeboat is not shown in detail, only sufilcient detail being shown to emphasize my peculiar construction.

The boat is of course provided with a gunwale I, longitudinal benches or seats 2, and a plurality of cross thwarts as shown at 3, 4, 5, 6, 7,

It will be noted removed in Figure 1 another longitudinal bench is provided.

The members 9, II], II, l2, l3, and i i are braces which extend from the gunwale to the bench or thwarts and are for the purpose of stiffening the sides of the boat and the members I1, I8, l9, and are braces for supporting the thwarts 3 to 'i inclusive of the longitudinal benches as shown at 2.

The boat that I have here shown is of metal, no ribs are indicated as the thwarts and seat braces At 2! to indicate the stern of the boat.

And now to refer to the details of my improved construction. At 22 I show a particular form of a continuous length of commercially available is shown merely A at the bow to the point B at the stern of the boat and is bent or molded or shaped as shown at C and D, so that this continuous length of T rail or T iron forms the bow, the keel and the stern members.

The T rail is so placed that the stem of the T extends upward and into the boat and the cross arm of the T is exterior of the boat platmg.

The side and 24 a supported by the cross arm of the T in such a manner that the load in the boat is received by the cross arm 22' of the T and not solely by the good .boat will support a far greater load than otherwise found possible.

Because of the change in the shape of the plates to a pronounced V formation as they approach both the bow and the stern of the boat, so that the boat may more readily cleave the water when propelled in either direction, the cross arm 22' of the T rail is bent correspondingly inward at these points in order to conform 2 to the necessary V plate formation and to provide the maximum support for the plates. In Figure 5 I have shown cross sections of the T rail taken at several points as it approaches the bow or stern and it will be noted therefrom that the cross arm 22 is bent progressively inward or towards the stem of the T as it passes from the horizontal keel section to the almost perpendicular bow and stern portions.

It is one of the features of the invention that the under or keel portion of this rail presents a substantially flat surface to facilitate the sliding of the boat upon the sand when beached whilst the integral bow and stern portions present a more salient angle so that the boats progress will not be unnecessarily impeded.

The cross thwarts and longitudinal benches of my boat are formed and arranged in the conventional manner and serve as beam or cross ship supporting or stiffening members. The flooring of the boat is however modified to suit the new conditions.

The flooring is formed of a plurality of removable and longitudinal plankings or footings as shown at 26, which are in turn supported by a plurality of lateral or cross braces or Z shaped members as shown at 21. The footings 26 and even the members 21 can be formed of wood if desired, but I prefer that the members 21 be Z shaped steel braces and the members 26 be wood. The height of the top of the footings should be equal to the height of the stem of the T 22 so that the stem will not operate as a barrier run-v ning longitudinally in the floor, but such details are mere matters of construction. I do however desire that the T rail 22 be a stiff and rugged rail and for this reason I have selected a rail wherein the stem of the T is of greater width than the cross arm of the T.

Having carefully and fully described my invention what I claim and desire to obtain is:

1. In a lifeboat, a T rail comprising integral keel, bow and stern portions, the T being inverted at the keel so as to present a substantially flat lower surface, the lower cross arm of the T being bent progressively inward towards the main stem thereof so as to form a substantial V as it approaches both the bow and the stern of the boat.

2. In a lifeboat having side plates, a keel, a bow and a stern, a continuous rail of T section comprising said keel, bow and stern, the T being inverted at the keel with the cross arm forming a support for the side plates as they abut the main stem of the T, said rail having its cross arm bent progressively inward as it approaches both the bow and the stern.

3. In a lifeboat, a rail of T section integrally forming the keel, bow and stem thereof, the cross arm of the T being bent substantially back towards the main stem thereof as said rail approaches the bow and the stern of said lifeboat.

ARMOUR C. GALBRAITH. 

